Chapter 8 Sec 1

Myanmar

• Was once called Burma and is about the size of Texas.

• They have two main rivers the Irrawady and the Salween.

• About 2/3 are farmers and they do not have modern technology.

• They also have manufacturing. They produce soap, noodles, paper, textiles, and glass bottles.

• They also export precious gems- valuable gemstones such as rubies, sapphires, and jade.

• They also produce most of the worlds teakwood.

• Their forests are decreasing because of deforestation- widespread cutting of trees.

• Most people live in the Irrawady valley along the river.

• Myanmar was part of British India until it gained independence in 1948.

• Myanmar is now a socialist country. Socialism- is an economic system in which most businesses are owned and run by the government.

• Myanmar has struggled to become a democracy.• In 1991 Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the nobel

peace prize

Thailand

• Was once called Siam. Thailand means “land of the free”

• It is the only country in Southeast Asia that was never ruled by a European country.

• They trace their independence back to the 1200s AD.

• Thailand's main agricultural export is teakwood and rubber. They government has limited deforestation to preserve this resource.

• They also export tin and gemstones.• Most manufacturing is located near the capital of

Bangkok. • They make cement, textiles, clothing, and metal

products. • Tourism is an important industry as well.

• Most of the people of Thailand are Buddhist.• 80% of the people live in rural villages.• There is a lot of urbanization from the people

of Thailand moving to Bangkok to look for jobs in industry.

Laos

• Laos is landlocked and covered in mountains.• Laos is a very poor country. The government

recently began to allow tourism to help the economy out.

• 80% of the people live in rural areas.

• They do not have a lot of manufacturing because of isolation from other countries and civil war- a fight among different groups within a country.

• The country lacks railroads and only a few cities have electricity. Vientiane is the largest city and capital.

• The communist government discourages religion but most of Laos remains Buddhist.

Cambodia

• Their economy began to falter in the 1980s because of civil war and harsh communist rule.

• They also have very few factories.• Most are part of the Khmer ethnic group.• 80% live in rural villages.• The rest live in cities like the capital Phnom

Penh• Buddhism is the main religion.

• In 1953 Cambodia gained its independence from the French.

• They have fought amongst themselves since then. In the 1970s Communist leaders took over and ruled Cambodia very harshly.

• In 1993 they brought back their King but political fighting continues.

Vietnam

• Vietnam has a very long eastern coastline. It borders the Gulf of Tonkin, South China Sea, Gulf of Thailand.

• The north of Vietnam has a fertile delta on the red river.

• The south has wide swampy deltas on the Mekong River

• Monsoons bring wet and dry seasons.

• Farmers grow rice, sugarcane, cassava, sweet potatoes, corn, bananas, and coffee.

• With 80 million people Vietnam is the largest population in Southeast Asia.

• 80% of the people live in the country side.• The largest urban area is Ho Chi Minh City, it is

named after the communist leader. • It used to be called Saigon before the

communists took over.

• Hanoi is located in the North and is the capital of Vietnam.

• Most people are Buddhist and belong to the Vietnamese ethnic group. The rest are Chinese, Cambodians, and other Asian ethnic groups.

• Vietnamese is the major language but Chinese, English, and French are also spoken.

• Vietnamese people came from China over 2,000 years ago. From the late 1800s to the mid 1950s Vietnam was under French control.

• In recent years, Vietnam’s communist leaders have opened up to western ideas, businesses, and tourists. They also have loosened government control on the economy.

• They hope to raise Vietnam’s standard of living.